


speak through fingers

by liesmith



Category: The Creatures | Cow Chop RPF
Genre: M/M, Secret Santa, house era, sweater weather by the neighborhood intensifies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:20:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21599827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liesmith/pseuds/liesmith
Summary: fuck this house, this city, this state, this countryorpower's out. now what the fuck is james going to do?
Relationships: Aleksandr Vitalyevich Marchant/James Richard Wilson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	speak through fingers

It’s so fucking cold.

Of course of all weeks it had to be their first week and it snowstorms like crazy, like of course James would have that kind of god-tier luck. At least he had the mind to bring Ein with him; his place is probably out of power, just like here, but at least he knows she’s safe. In between lighting a few tealights he found in cabinets, he listens to the click of nails as her and Mishka wrestle around in the dining room. At least they’re having fun, James guesses, though he just scowls at the word and scrunches his shoulders up.

He dressed warm enough for a house that had heating, but now is another story. Now it’s cold enough that he can feel the goosebumps along his arms, the smallest tremble in his legs. They had half a mind to stock the guest bedroom with a blanket, but James isn’t so sure it’s going to really work. Aleksandr is a blanket hog, anyways. He learned that the hard way from sharing hotel rooms.

Speaking of, said idiot is pouting on the couch while James does all the hard work, setting candles out in what he hopes is strategic places to keep the place somewhat lit. The candles are so meager that it doesn’t even look like James has done anything, but he still feels accomplished. Moreso then idiot couch boy, all scrunched up in his paper thin hoodie. James would feel bad, but then again, Aleks is Russian. He should be used to this kind of cold, right? Maybe that’s rude. Though, come to think of it, James just doesn’t care if he’s rude. He’s kind of doing all the hard work here, anyways.

Still, he wanders over to the couch and sits next to Aleks, arm stretched out over the back of it. “So, uh, I think we’re stuck here tonight. I looked out at the cars and they’re pretty buried.”

“Fuck, dude.”

Classy Aleksandr. “Yeah, I know, but maybe the power will come back soon. Then we can have heat again, right?”

Aleks just slowly turns to look at him, just a grumpy face peeking out of his hood. James tries a smile; Aleks just sniffs.

“You and I both know that’s not how this dumbass state works. We’re gonna be here, in the dark, all night, with no heat.”

“There’s a blanket upstairs.”

“Great,” Aleks sounds like he’s talking through clenched teeth and briefly, it makes James wonder if he’s trying not to shiver. Aleks has always been kind of a stringbean so it doesn’t surprise him, but it makes James’ heart twinge with minor guilt. Probably should have waited until after the snow forecast to move in, but Colorado is just like that.

He takes a deep breath and for a moment, scoots just closer to Aleks’ side of the couch, trying to hope some heat radiates off him and permeates through to Aleks. To his surprise, Aleks takes initiative and closed the distance between them, still slumped down and pouting in his hoodie. James can live with this; just two bros chilling on the couch together trying to get body heat going so they don’t freeze in the dead of Colorado. Brett would be so pissed at them for spending money on this place for them to just immediately die week one. James just drapes his arm from the back of the couch to over Aleks’ shoulders, trying not to awkwardly sit his hand on the brunet’s chest or anywhere else not too bro-like. James just sighs, fishing his phone out of his pocket and starting to scroll through it. At least he has some decent battery; Aleks’ is probably dead.

“What time is it?”

“Like… only eight,” James sounds pained as he says it, realizing just how long tonight is going to be in this weather, in this dark, in this cold. The feeling of dread starts creeping at the base of his skull, slender lines running over his insides. Snowed in as an adult is not as fun as when you’re a kid. James squirms and tries not to act uncomfortable; he doesn’t want to scare Aleks off, especially since that is James’ only source of heat, however meager it is.

The dogs break the awkwardness. Mishka comes barreling first and barely makes it up the couch. Aleks half heartedly helps her, one arm just slightly coming out of the front pocket of his hoodie to hoist her up. Ein comes next, clearing the jump and sticking the landing with ease. God, she’s so cute. The corgi snuggles right up against his side as Mishka flops over both their laps, Aleks sinking fingers into her fur.

“Hey, I mean, at least we have them?” James tries to fill the silence, giving Aleks’ shoulder what he hopes is a friendly squeeze. By the look Aleks gives him, it clearly is not.

“I guess,” He answers, lackluster and bored. James just looks away, wondering what to do next. Should they just move upstairs? Heat rises or something, so maybe staying down here is not doing Aleks any wonders.

“Uh… let’s, uh, move upstairs?” James tries, poses it as a question, and Aleks just raises an eyebrow, “heat rises. Maybe it’s just a little bit warmer. I can bring, uh… the candles, up there. Might make it nicer?”

Aleks seems like his one brain cell is on overdrive, trying to decide if it’s a good idea or not. Instead, he shrugs and nudges Mishka up. “Alright.”

Success. James gives him a small wave, as if he’s not about to go join Aleks in the guest room, and looks down at Ein at his side as the other two start their way upstairs. “... Tonight’s going to be way too long, baby.”

Ein just wags her butt. James takes it as an affirmative.

* * *

After blowing the candles out and burning himself only twice trying to bring them upstairs, James finally makes it into the guest room with Ein hot on his heels, excited to be reunited with Mishka. On the bed is what he assumes is an Aleksandr shaped lump with a Mishka growth on it’s back; at least, James hopes it is a Mishka growth. He doesn’t say anything as he sets the candles on the one desk they still can’t find use for and relights them, looking around the room. The bed’s pushed in the far left corner, away from the window. Best chance of survival for tonight, honestly. James just hoists Ein up over his shoulder, walking over to the bed and setting her down.

“Hey. Are we going to share?”

“I don’t want too, this thing is thin as shit,” Aleks’ voice is muffled from underneath the blanket, but one arm barely lifts the covers. James just rolls his eyes, though it’s mostly for him, and kicks his sneakers off as he climbs onto the bed with Aleks. Awkwardness immediately sets into James, who is trying to perch on the edge but also be covered with the horribly thin blanket. Shit. Why’d they bring this thing here? Idiots. They were idiots.

Ein finds her way under the blanket and wiggles in between them with Mishka and the two half heartedly nip at each other in the lamest form of play ever. As cute as they are, this isn’t what James came up here for, though… what did he come up here for? To cuddle until the power, through miracles, comes back on and keeps them warm?

“... Aleks, uh, we should move the dogs.”

“What? Why? I’m cold, Mishka’s like a little oven.”

“Because you’ll get better body heat from me,” It’s so awkward to say. Cuddling in the hotel room was totally unintentional and like, accidental or some shit. Now they have to so Colorado doesn’t claim two more victims. Besides the dogs, Aleks slowly wiggles up, head poking out as he squints at James in the candle light.

“Bro, what? Don’t be gay.”

“You know it’s true!” James feels flustered, hating to explain himself, “come on. We can try for a bit and if it doesn’t work, I’ll just… go downstairs or something. You can keep the dogs.”

Aleks squints, trying to assess the situation before he sighs and whistles, nudging Mishka towards the bottom of the bed. James reluctantly gets up and helps Mishka on her wiggle down before helping Ein off the bed. They both look at him confused before Ein scoots herself under the bed and Mishka follows, eager to stay with her. James just sighs and climbs back up onto the bed, movements awkward as he tries to figure out exactly how they’re going to do this. Aleks doesn’t seem to want to move from his lumpish position, but James is starting to feel the cold despite himself.

“... You gotta come here, dude,” James mumbles, trying to look anywhere but at Aleks. The grump in question lifts the blanket up again to squint at James before slowly moving closer. James clears his throat and tries to play it off and act cool, meeting Aleks in the middle. He pauses for a moment, just staring at Aleks before turning away as James reaches down to unzip his sweatshirt and awkwardly holds it open, hoping Aleks gets the memo. The bed shifts with Aleks’ wiggling before James feels the weight against his chest, the bit of warmth Aleks is radiating. It’s… kind of nice.

James flushes. This is so weird. He wraps his arms around Aleks, hands smoothing out over the line of his shoulders. Aleks isn’t boney but it’s still not the best cuddle feel, but then again, James is spoiled. Ein is pretty chunky. He just shifts slightly and presses his cheek against the top of Aleks’ head, squishing it against the fabric as he looks at the opposite wall. Under his hoodie, he feels Aleks’ arms and hands seek purchase, fingers gripping the back of his shirt.

“... This is gay,” James tries to break the silence with a joke and nervous laughter, but Aleks just sniffs against him. Hm. Maybe his brain’s frozen or something. James just sighs and tries to close his eyes, wondering if he can just pass out. Between the two of them and the blanket, they should stay pretty warm, right? The candles, even if they’re itty bitty, are helping too. Maybe his brain is frozen; what’s a side effect of freezing to death? Thinking everything is warm? He’s not feeling like he wants to get naked, but maybe that’s just his brain tricking James. Shit. He doesn’t know jack shit.

“Stop thinking.”

Aleks’ voice snaps him out of it and James looks confused, staring up at the ceiling. “... What?”

“You’re tense,” Aleks murmurs, fingers flexing against James’ back, “you’re going to get a headache or something. Just relax. You’ll burn up all your chubby warm energy being an idiot.”

James wants to argue about ‘chubby warm energy’, but he lets it go for now. Aleks is right, anyways. He probably shouldn’t burn any energy he has overthinking this situation or if he’s dying of frostbite or something. He just shifts to accommodate Aleks’ weight a little more against him, squishing his cheek back against Aleks’ head and closes his eyes for real this time. They just have to get through tonight.

Something clicks at the base of his skull. James comes to with a start, panicked and frantic before he realizes where he is, the white walls of the house around him. A candle has gone out; the other two are low. Did he doze off? James can’t tell, but against him is Aleks, warm and relaxed and breathing even, asleep. He squirms a tiny bit, craning his neck to try and see behind him and locate the dogs on the floor, but James gives up when the vision is too limited. He does manage to get his phone out of his pocket without disturbing Aleks too much, looking at the time with heavy eyes.

It’s nearly 2 am.

The power is still out, he guesses, because outside is pitch black, the window frosted over from the snow building on the sill. This sucks.

James grunts, frustrated that Aleks is still passed out and he’s awake, staring at the wall the bed is cuddled up too. Shit sucks. James just tries to play a little on his phone, using Aleks’ head as a resting spot for his arm. His battery is still okay; he can spare a bit on a few games or Netflix or something. He makes it through an episode and a half of something he’s been trying to catch up on. James is zoned out that he doesn’t realize that Aleks is awake, saying his name, until Aleks’ face is in his.

The sound he makes is not very manly. Aleks reminds him of it many times after the fact.

“W-What the hell?! Why didn’t you say you were up!”

“I did, like three times,” Aleks points out, voice soft and still full of sleep, “you weren’t answering. What were you watching, anyways?”

James flushes. “Great British Bake off.”

“Sick, dude,” Aleks laughs, laying back down and looking up at the ceiling, “that engrossing?”

“They were making biscuits,” James argues with a small huff, flicking the Netflix app off his phone and turning it off. Still half a battery; he can manage the night, “it’s pretty high stakes.”

“Okay,” Aleks’ eyes are closed again, snuggled into the hood of his sweatshirt, “I believe you, man.”

“You should watch it,” James murmurs, rolling onto his stomach and turning his head so he could still look at Aleks, “we can share.”

“What time is it, anyways?”

“Like… a little after two. It’s late,” James closes his eyes, thinking for a moment. They could both just sleep, really. Get the night over with. Wake up, maybe to heat. To lights. To sunny weather in some other state that isn’t this god awful place. Fucking Colorado.

“... Yeah, I guess so,” Aleks sighs, shifting against James, “I wonder if we’re gonna be stuck like this forever.”

“In this bed?”

“No, idiot,” Aleks is laughing again, soft and sweet. James can’t help the stomach flip; he’s always been fond of Aleks in a way, more than he should be. This situation isn’t helping, “just… here. In the house. Even if we get power back tomorrow, we still have to shovel out and I don’t think we have one here.”

Shit. Of course they don’t. They’re the worst at preparing for literally anything, always has been, but that’s their charm or something. “Yeah, uh… I guess we can ask a neighbor if we can borrow one of theirs. Or call Joe or something to come save us.”

“Maybe,” Aleks turns onto his side to look at James, an arm under his head, “we’re idiots.”

Yeah. James laughs now, eyes crinkling as he does so. “You’re right.”

The silence settles. The snow outside is falling a little thicker, just audible against the window as they lay there. James thinks, maybe, he could throw Netflix back on for them. Indoctrinate Aleks to the baking show.

But he does something so much stupider.  
James pushes himself up onto his elbows and leans over, kissing Aleks. The brunet tenses briefly under him before Aleks melts, sinks into the soft of the mattress and is reciprocating the movement. There’s a hand in James’ hair, just playing with the soft, short curls and James whines.

It’s a little embarrassing.

Aleks turns his face away after the sound. “... You okay, James?”

“Yeah,” Okay, it’s a lot embarrassing. James clears his throat, trying to pretend he didn’t make that sound, “I… I’m good. I swear.”

Aleks just raises an eyebrow but doesn’t push it, fingers playing with a curl before his hand lowers, cupping the back of James’ neck, then dropping to his shoulder and then back to his own chest. “... this feels kind of cheesy.”

James blinks before laughing, flopping back down onto his stomach and pushing at Aleks. “Shut up, God, that’s… I’m… I like you, man.”

“I mean, yeah, obviously. Why do you think I always stick with you?”

James pauses at that. Really, leaving the last group… it was kind of more of his decision then Aleks. Aleks never had to come with him, but he didn’t even have to ask for the brunet to say yes. Didn’t have to say anything but i’m leaving, and Aleks followed.

Oh, shit. James is an idiot. He groans loudly, covering his face with a hand. “... You’re right. We are idiots.”

“Yeah, but right now, I think it’s just you,” Aleks rolls onto his back again, “don’t sweat it.”

Don’t sweat it. Yeah, whatever. Like James knows how to keep cool with this kind of shit. “Sure. Yeah. Okay.”

He pushes himself back up onto his elbows and leans over Aleks again, kissing the brunet once more. Feeling Aleks return it, even if his lips are chapped and kinda dry, it feels so amazing. James could never imagine anything different, not now, not ever.

Aleks likes him.

James pulls back, looking down into the darkness of Aleks’ lid eyes, the way his cheeks are just red enough, the hand reaching up to curl into the fabric of James’ sweatshirt.

Yeah, this is it. This is everything he’s ever wanted.

James just lowers his body down on top of Aleks’, careful to not squish him too much, hands wrapping around the smaller frame. Fuck this house, fuck this state, fuck everything else. Everything he’s ever wanted was beneath him, wrapped in a tiny twig bow, and James just relaxes, stress rolling off him in waves.

He loves Aleks. He’ll say that, one day, maybe when there’s blood in his mouth and it’s over. Or maybe tomorrow morning, kissing Aleks again, waking him up to warmth and breakfast.

Maybe James doesn’t have to say it. Maybe Aleks just knows.

That’s all he could ever want.

**Author's Note:**

> secret santa gift for einchop! i especially want to thank you and give you the utmost love and respect for being there year after year and being a great back-up for the secret santa. until next time, friend


End file.
